Self-serving container



Jan, 6, 1925.

U. LEWS SELF SERVING CONTA Filed Nov. 26, 1923 l l. 1 I

Patented Jan. 6, 1925.

naires srarss UA LEWIS, vor DALLAS, TEXAS.-

SELF-SRVING CONTAINER.

Appiicaiion fried November 2e, i523. serial ivo. v7-,11a Y vestment, are more or less complicated and are likely to get out of working order. At very busy or rush hours it is inconvenient to refill these devices and at other times it is likely to be forgotten. rlllie foregoing is recitedinerely to point outtheneed for my invention and not with any intent to' reliect upon the merit of Athese former devices.

Y e The object of my invention is to provide an inexpensive container in which the matches, tootlipicks, drinking straws and the like may be packed and lsold to the customer` in the usual manner of such vending, but arranged with dispensing means easilyand quickly adjusted to dispense the contents in'limited quantities. Y l

A particular object is to install said diespensaryy or delivery means in the container with substantially no reduction in `its cavpacity, whereby said containers may be made 'of the same general style and size as those now in common use.

A further object is to provide a delivery member which may also serve as a closure 'for retaining the commodity in the container i during shipping and at other times.

Ay construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

rlhe invention will be more readily understood from a. reading o-f the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view ofv a. tooth pick box constructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the dispensing partition,

Fig. e is-a cross-section on thel line ,fl- 4 of ,Fig. 3,

.z v .;i.' .,'o'i :V nu?. Fig. 5 kis a longitudinal section view of i ,i limi.; 1.\''.'

a matchbox constructed in accordance with my invention, and 'i Fig. 6 is an endfelevationof the` '"saine. A l

In the. drawings Vthe niimeral l() ldesignates the bottom `o'lf'a tooth pick box which has v'uirightl')sides 11W and fai-hinged top l2, provided with a flap v13 adapted. to tfeld down insidev on the front side ill.' In form ing theboxeasectiiis ofthe sidesfare, felded at right angles to 'formeiids Il Q'sectins of its'bottoni` are folded up'tojp'rovidec lvers 15 `-for the ends.y These covers are provided v with flaps `-lfi under-lyiiigthe cver. This is a construction in` common use. y

The essence of myl invention is an incliied transverse partition exte1'i`. d iiig longii-.dinaiiy if the' toawiiibii preferably is formed of two sections' 17 and vl8r, 'respectively. The 4partition extends from theintersection of the bottom 10- and onefof the ends 14 to the intersection off theftop l2 and the other end. Each 'partition section overlapsthe inner end fof thejotlie'r section. and

has fiinger's' 1'9 bent e. over thief edges ofthe other section, whereby a slidrigonnecton ishadand` the sections are'prevente'd 'from tion 1maybe employed. l y

Each end lll'isfprovided with fa transverse slot contiguii'sdto the'p'artitin and has a central arched opening 2l. vyThe/outer end of each partition section has i'tsend'bent i'ipward to form a transverse Vtrough 22 which normally is positioned in the slot 20 to form a closure over which the cover is folded foishipping. I The toothpicks are `packed in the i box above and below the partition, whicliowing to its thinness, takes little space? 'and 'does not reduce the capacity to an appreciable extent.

l/Vhen it is desired to dispense tooth picks one of the covers 15 is pulled outwardly and torn off as is indicated in Fig. l. One of the partition sections is then pulled outwardly a short distance by grasping the trough 22. The box is rested on its bottom 10 and the'tooth picks on top of the inclined partition will flow rby gravity through the slot v2O and into the trough 22. The trough may have a central notch 23 co-acting with the arch 2l to accommodate the linger and thumb in picking up the articles. The trough may be adjusted to govern the quantity of picks exposed.

TWhen the tooth picks above the partition are exhausted the trough is pushedinwardly into the slot 20 and the box inverted. rllhe trough at the other end is pulled outward after the cover 15 has been removed. The picks in the box may thusY be served Without opening the same. The box maybe packed at the factory with the partition in place. rllhe picks need not be handled until taken hold of by the user. When the box is empty; it may be thrown away as `it Will cost but little more than the boxes now in common use.

A device of this character permits of a wide use and may be used tor vending or dispensing cigarettes, drinking pencils, matches and various other articles of a cylindrical or elongated shape, in tact any article that will slide or roll down an inclined partition, and which may be packed in a box. In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown as a `further illustration, a match box.

rIhe box comprises a shell having a bottom 30, upright sides 31 and a top 82, the

ends being open. A tray comprising a bottoni 33, sides 84 and ends 35 is slidable in the shell. The lower portion ot one end has aslotBG, while the upper edge ot the other end has a similar slot 36. The partition 17 is placed in the box so that its troughs 22 lie in slots 36 and form closures;

Vhe'n it is desired to vend the matches, one of the troughs is pulled out asis shown in Fig. 1.

Various changes in the size and shape of the different parts as well as modiiications and alterations may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim, is:

1. In a reversible self-serving container, an inclined partition within the container, and serving troughs at each end of the partition, one of the troughs receiving articles from one side of the partition and the other trough receiving articles from the other side of the partition when the container is inverted.

straws, j

2. In a reversible selflserving container, a receptacle having openings at its opposite ends at different elevations, an inclined partition in the receptacle extending from ing package box, comprising longitudinally alined relatively adjustable sections having troughs at their outer ends on opposite sides ot the partition.

4. In a Self-serving container, a receptacle having openings at its ends, an inclined partition in the receptacle, troughs at the ends ot the partition forming closures 'for the openings and movable outwardly for delivering articles from the partition.

5. In a self-serving container, a receptacle having openings at its ends, and an inclined partition in the receptacle comprising adjustable sections having troughs at their ends normally at the openings of the receptacle, said sections being adjustable relatively ot said openings, Wliereby said troughs may be pulled outwardly to deliver articlesv from the partition.

6. In a self serving container, a receptacle having an opening formed at one end, an inclined t'eeding member in thereceptacle supporting the articles to be dispensed through said opening, said member being longitudinally extensible through the opening ot the receptacle and having a trough on its extended end outside ot' the receptacle.

7. In a self serving container, a receptacle having an opening formed vat one end, an inclined teedingmember in the receptacle nsupporting the articles to be dispensed through said opening, said member being longitudinally extensible through the opening of the receptacle and having ak trough on its extended end outside'of the receptacle, said member being retractable whereby said trough forms a closure for the opening.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

UA. LEWIS. 

